Everest's Guardian Hubby Watched Me Freeze My Ghost Knows Where He'll Burn novel Chapter 32

Chapter 19

From that moment forward, Nicholas shut himself away from the world, refusing to step outside. The only person who occasionally crossed the threshold was his mother, her visits sparse and tentative. Beyond that, he cut off all contact, ignoring every message and call that came his way.

The apartment was strewn with empty liquor bottles, scattered carelessly across the floor and tables. He drowned himself in alcohol, seeking to numb the relentless ache inside. Each day was a battle just to keep breathing, to survive the unending torment that gripped his heart.

On January 21st, after weeks of silence, a sudden, insistent knock shattered the quiet. Nicholas lay slumped on the couch, his body heavy with hangover, eyes vacant as he watched shadows crawl along the walls. The knocking persisted, rhythmic and unyielding.

Though he heard it, he remained motionless, trapped in his own desolation.

Hours passed before he found the will to rise, his thin frame trembling as he moved toward the door. Outside, Valentina had been waiting for three long hours, her patience worn thin. Frustrated, she pounded her fist against the wood repeatedly.

When the door finally swung open, she stumbled forward, nearly losing her balance as she stepped inside.

Nicholas raised an arm instinctively, a barrier between them. His gaze, cold and detached, locked onto hers.

“What do you want?” he asked, his voice flat.

Valentina hadn’t anticipated such a harsh shift in his demeanor after all this time. A flicker of hurt and resentment flashed in her eyes, but she quickly masked it with a softer expression, concern replacing bitterness.

“Nicholas, I’ve been trying to reach you for days. Are you alright?” she asked gently.

He averted his eyes, his tone reverting to the distant, formal manner he once used when they first met.

“I’m fine. You should leave. Don’t contact me again.”

Her patience snapped.

Grabbing his wrist firmly, she pleaded, “I know you’re hurting. That’s why I’m here—I want to be here for you. Please don’t push me away.”

The moment her hand touched his skin, Nicholas recoiled as if burned.

The weight of his guilt was crushing.

His voice cracked, thick with sorrow.

“None of that should have happened. I messed up. I destroyed my marriage. I killed her.”

Valentina had believed the path was clear now—that with Elara gone, they could finally be together without barriers.

But here he was, still drowning in guilt for his deceased wife.

She had always looked down on his weakness, and now, his refusal to let go pushed her to the breaking point.

Fury surged through her, her words spilling out without restraint.

“She’s dead, Nicholas! She’s not coming back, no matter how much you punish yourself! You have to move on! Forget her. Stay with me. Don’t you remember how good we were together? How happy you were with me?”